By GREG TUFARO/p
Staff Writer/p
FLEMINGTON – Throughout the course of this season, the Greater Middlesex Conference was discredited as a league, with some calling it among the state’s weakest./p
The GMC made a huge statement on Saturday, advancing 23 of its grapplers to Atlantic City out of the Region 5 Tournament including Monroe High School junior Sam Emburgia (125), who was named Outstanding Wrestler, and Sayreville senior Ramon Santiago (152), who became the school’s first region champion since 1975./p
The GMC boasted 16 region finalists, seven of whom won titles. Edison’s Mike FrancoBandiero (119) won his third region crown, Bishop Ahr’s Joe McAuley (140) won his second and South Brunswick’s Brendan Vercammen (171) won his first./p
Edison’s Gerry Nisivoccia was named Region 5 Coach of the Year./p
The GMC was represented in each of the 14 finals and three of the championship bouts – 130 through 140 – were all-GMC finals. Edison’s Ray DeLaNuez (130) beat Bishop Ahr’s Mike Pysniak and South River’s Adam Mongelli (135) beat Tom Hogan in two of those All-GMC finals./p
The league went 6-2 in third-place bouts, not including All-GMC consolation finals at 125 and 171 pounds, which Conor Hayes and Nick Orak of Old Bridge, respectively, won./p
Piscataway led the GMC, sending four wrestlers to next weekend’s NJSIAA Individual Championships at Boardwalk Hall, while Sayreville, Bishop Ahr and Old Bridge each advanced three grapplers./p
“”When we wrestle in conference or there’s a GMC Tournament, we go at it,” said Piscataway heavyweight Jeramie Powell, who won his second straight region title. “”But after that, it’s the GMC all the way. We talk to each other, we are friends with each other, we practice with each other and we all tell each other we’ve got to be the best here./p
“”You know, the Shore Conference, the Skyland Conference, everybody is always talking about us. But today we have shown what we can do and I think, for us as a conference, the statement is we will show you better than we can tell you.”/p
Emburgia, who was upset by Edison’s Jeff Peterson in the GMCT semifinals, rebounded from that loss, his only defeat of the season, with a vengeance, rolling to the District 20 title before impressing everyone at Region 5./p
Emburgia pinned Hunterdon Central’s Brian Bistis in the second period of the region finals. His weight class featured five incumbent state qualifiers and was arguably the region’s deepest./p
“”I felt like I was a good step or two above everybody else and I felt I could pin everybody,” said Emburgia, who improved his record to 39-1. “”I want to beat everybody as bad as possible. I just want to go in there (to Atlantic City) and keep going.”/p
Santiago looked equally impressive becoming Sayreville’s first region champ in 34 years. The senior outscored his three opponents 30-4 in the tournament, surrendering all of those points via escape to Hunterdon Central’s Jerry Somma in the final./p
“”My coaches have been telling me all year that I could do it,” said Santiago, who placed fifth in the state a year ago and currently owns a 38-0 record. “”I trained and stayed after practice every day. That’s why in the third period (against Somma) I was still going and he was like done already.”/p
Despite entering the tournament as the top seed, Vercammen humbly felt winning the region title was somewhat of a surprise. Only five other wrestlers in the 12-man bracket had as many or more losses entering the tournament than Vercammen, who is now 31-7 after beating Hillsborough’s George Goddiess 2-1 with a third-overtime escape in the finals./p
“”It feels really good because I didn’t even make it out of districts last year,” Vercammen said. “”I’m wrestling my own weight this year; I was wrestling up a lot last year. I worked hard in the offseason, so it was a lot better this year. I was ready./p
“”The last match was tough. He didn’t really do anything, so I had to do a lot of work. When we got to overtime, I just wanted to go as hard as I could. I’m good on top and bottom, so once I got past the first (overtime) period, I felt I could win it.”/p
While several individuals shined, the day belonged to the GMC as a whole, as the league proved it has the depth and balance to compete with the state’s best./p
“”I think we proved to everybody the quality of wrestling in the GMC,” Old Bridge coach Bryan Garnett said. “”The GMC is loaded with outstanding coaches and outstanding wrestlers and we proved it here today./p
“”Going to Atlantic City is the pinnacle of wrestling for the season. We have a lot of guys so dedicated and who worked so hard to earn that right, it’s awesome, just awesome.”/p

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